asilyuponhimwiththeairofSundayclothesuponanagriculturallabourer.MissLey,wholikedtofindabsurddescriptionsofpeople,ortohituponanaptcomparison,hadneverbeenableexactlytosuithimandthatsomewhatirritatedher.Inhereyestheonlylinkthatconnectedthedoctorwithhumanitywasacertainloveofantiquities,whichhadfilledhishousewitholdsnuff-boxes,china,andotherpreciousthings:humanity,MissLeytooktobeasmallcircleofpersons,mostlyfeminine,middle-aged,unattached,andofindependentmeans,whotravelledonthecontinent,readgoodliteratureandabhorredthevastmajorityoftheirfellow-creatures,especiallywhentheseshriekedphilanthropically,thrusttheirreligioninyourface,orcultivatedtheirmusclewithaggressiveardour!
Dr.RamsayatehisluncheonwithanappetitethatMissLeythoughtmustbeagreatsourceofsatisfactiontohisbutcher.Sheaskedpolitelyafterhiswife,towhomshesecretlyobjectedforhermeeksubmissiontothedoctor.MissLeymadeapracticeofavoidingthosewomenwhohadturnedthemselvesintomereshadowsoftheirlords,moreespeciallywhentheirconversationwasofhouseholdaffairsandMrs.Ramsay,exceptonSundays,whenhermindwasturnedtotheclothesofthecongregation,thoughtofnothingbeyondherhusband’senormousappetiteandthemethodsofsubduingit.
Theyreturnedtothedrawing-roomandDr.RamsaybegantotellBerthaabouttheproperty,whothistenantwasandtheconditionofthatfarm,windingupwiththepitifulstateofthetimesandtheimpossibilityofgettingrents.
“Andnow,Bertha,whatareyouthinkingofdoing?”heasked.
ThiswastheopportunityforwhichBerthahadbeenlooking.
“I?”shesaidquietly—“Oh,Iintendtogetmarried.”
Dr.Ramsay,openinghismouth,threwbackhisheadandlaughedimmoderately.
“Verygoodindeed,”hecried.“Ha,ha!”
MissLeylookedathimwithupliftedeyebrows.
“Girlsarecomingonnowadays,”hesaid,withmuchamusement.“Why,inmytime,ayoungwomanwouldhavebeenallblushesanddowncastglances.IfanyonehadtalkedofmarriageshewouldhaveprayedHeaventosendanearthquaketoswallowherup.”
“Fiddlesticks!”saidMissLey.
BerthawaslookingatDr.Ramsaywithasmilethatshewithdifficultyrepressed,andMissLeycaughttheexpress